August 2010...anyone starting chemo besides me?!
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Lizzy: I'm doing ok, we go to counseling tomorrow night, so I'll let you all know what happens there. That is great the drains are gone, I remember getting rid of mine - so freeing!0
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Tex - Glad the PT is helping.
Lady - Good luck tomorrow. (((hugs)))
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Interesting article: Brain scan study finds evidence of "chemo brain"
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Good day, warriors-
Lady: good luck tomorrow. Hope all goes well.
Omaz: Sorry--I logged right off yesterday! What I meant by 2-3's is if you had a pair of 3 lb hand weights already, you can naturally put the 2-3 pounders in 1 hand and the single 6 in the other to achieve balance! Also that link I sent you for Amazon for those bars where you can add and subtract weight is great. Reason being, of course, if you are working your biceps, you should also be working your triceps. Of course, ideally you are working tri's and bi's with the same weight but that is not always the case. For this reason, those "make your own" dumb bells are great because you can take a little on and off as needed.
I am going to give you a few references from our "lifting book," as follows: Pages 322-323 gets you right through the "universal circuit" at any gym. This teaches you how to use all the machines and the pages that proceed that diagram show each machine in detail. On page 206, the middle exercise, if done off of an aerobic step is probably one of the best things you can do for your BUTT! It is listed, under the title of the exercise as a secondary muscle worked but if you add the aerobic step=good stuff! On page 304, one of the best tricep exercises ever. You can do it with the EZ bar link I sent you from Amazon and it can be done either on a weight bench (my preference with my knees pulled to my chest) or on the floor lying on your back. It can be done with dumbbells but you don't get the same uniformity. On triceps, a comfortable exercise is on pg. 302 and it is a favorite of women. If you sit on the edge of a weight bench, you can really isolate the tricep muscle. Pages 286-top of 288 all good for thighs and butt and the difference you will notice is in how their feet are positioned. You can do these just by resting dumbbells on your shoulders. The advantage here is if you put 10 lb plates under your heels. This is really works inner thigh/buttock areas that are hard to reach. Whenever looking up an exercise in "our book!" always pay close attention to the position of their feet. It is a key feature. I hope you are enjoying the book. It takes a lifetime to get through but you are learning, with every page, how to build a better infrastructure for yourself. After the quite necessary, but deleterious, chemo, we have to be concerned with building up a good jacket for our bones.Tex: good to hear from you! Glad the PT is working. I will check the article out later. Check your PM the next time you log on in January! BTW, happy holidays!! Hope school is going well and glad you are busy, moving on with your life. Good for you. My surgery is done, drains are out and I am roughly 70% done. The left side came out beautiful, she "built" my new breast over my breast muscle so I can definitely still lift and I do have one more surgery, which will most likely take place sometime in January, that should complete this process. She is a wonderful PS, I am so glad I found her and she does really nice work. No implants, nothing...just using existing body fat and rebuilding breasts, no skin cutting, no flap that look like eyes over my breasts, just the same old scar there was after bmx and it is actually more in line with my under crease of my breast. Good stuff, Tex, good stuff! I could not be happier and am very happy for no implants.
When do you find out if you made the nursing program? Have you taken the tests already? Best of luck with that and keep me posted!Well, I have another doctor's appointment today but I am achy, tired, and sore and don't feel like doing anything! Oh well....alas I must go!
Good day, girls-0 -
Thanks Lizzy!!! I will check out those pages.0
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Lizzy, Bars where you can subtract weight? Do they have those in Washington? I could do that! Margarhetta's, maybe a Kahlua and coffee.
I just read the study on chemo brain. I am glad to tell you I am not crazy and now I have proof!
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Thanks Omaz
Lizzy i test on the 9th of dec... getting a little nervous Whats this book lizzy? i have an awful time working my triceps LOL
Oh and as soon as i logged off i had to get my kids up, i wake my son only to find his eyes were crusted shut and i took him to the pedi turns out PINK EYE and ear infection
so i have a sick boy with me all day, he is sleeping now so i popped in, i really need to get this chapter read lol we were supopsed to have a quiz on it today which i missed so the teacher prob expects me to do very well since i have an extra day to study LOL0 -
Question for you Lizzy. You mention that having your reconstuction done over your chest muscle mean you can still lift. Does that mean that women having used the expander thingy are impaired in strength thereafter?
Ginger
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LOL Ginger - Bars where they subtract weight...haha!0
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Reading the back pages and just read about y'alls situation Lady- I will pray for you, good luck tomorrow night...
I think you have 2 very good reasons for not giving your husband the attention he felt he deserved, cancer is a hard to deal with and then ANOTHER cancer on top of that. (((HUGS)))
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omaz- just read the chemo brain article- i seriously think i should print that off and give it to my bio prof because no matter how much i study i still draw HUGE blanks on stuff that i should KNOW- yup gonna say tis chemo brain!
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Texas, since the class content is material you need to know I would suggest you research other ways to study. You need a technique that gets the info from short term memory into long term memory. First issue there is to be sure the info is in short term memory, so no skimming. In grad school one technique I used was to read a paragraph, close my eyes and tell the content to myself. That worked pretty well. My very best technique was to study with someone else and ask them the questions about the content. That was just miraculous for me, for recall. Onemore thing is to (dang chemo brain I forgot what I was going to write, seriously!) Ask others their study techniques. I was studying neurophysiology, and also learning theory, both especially difficult for someone who never had a chemistry class. I needed all the help I could get I had 5 kids, my 4 plus a foster child at home. I must have been mad to try to undertake that curiculum at that time!
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I got really big pads of paper and drew everything out. Then on the test I could visualize the paper and try to remember what I wrote and drew. Is 'drew' a word? Seriously!
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Hi everyone-
So finally back from the business trip from hell. Holy cow was that a long one. Ottawa, Indonesia, Zimbabwe, London, back to Ottawa. Phew. Soooooo glad to be back with my husband and kids.
Lady- I'm so sorry you have to go through this sh*t. And really, that's what it is isn't it?? Clearly your husband has lost his way in all of this and I wouldn't be surprised if he figures that out, but in the meantime it's just not fair that you have to deal with this. You've been through so much in the last year. But I think Lizzy's right- that which tests you makes you stronger and in many ways there's a lot of freedom not having to worry about someone else's needs. Anyway, you have my prayers for sure.
And Tex's wish for being able to text everyone when she wanted made me think...my wish would be that we could all get together for a glass of wine once a month. Wouldn't that be awesome? like a Book Club...only in our case it would be a BOOB Club. Anyway Lady I hope that your non-virtual girlfriends are on that and are showing up at your door with chocolate, red wine and very strong shoulders.:)
Lizzy- LOVE your vampire story. Did you hear about all the twilight crazies that have lined up for the last 5 days to see the premiere out there in LA? Nutso. Maybe that's where your mall vamps have gone? Really glad to hear that you're on the mend.
Ginger- did you make a decision about your charity? I totally get where you're coming from. I was just in Zimbabwe seeing the projects that my organization works on. One of them is a huge success story as 58,000 households are now able to secure food on an ongoing basis. But I felt a stab of wondering- 58,000 sounds like a lot but in a country of MILLIONS it's nothing. It can feel overwhelming. Especially if there is organizational dysfunction. Hope you've come to some peace around it all.
Am still trying to get over wicked jetlag...I'm falling asleep at 7:30 pm and waking up at 3am. Sort of feels like those first few days after chemo treatments. Minus the baldness and achy bones of course.;)
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Has anyone tried "Google Chrome" yet? I like it a lot.
Tex: I totally spaced and forget to "send" my PM! In any case, there are 3 types of learning styles: auditory, visual and kinesthetic. It is really imperative you find out which kind you are. This link is a quiz and it will quickly help you figure out what type you are:http://www.youthink.com/quiz.cfm?action=go_detail&sub_action=take&obj_id=598
This link will explain the differences in learning strategies, there are more quizzes and it also gives tips on how to better learn depending on your style.
http://www.learningrx.com/types-of-learning-styles-faq.htm
Finally, I have always, always used flashcards and also, sad as it is to say, my freshman year in college we were required to take a study skills course and in that course I learned that no matter the association (sex, drinking, whatever..!) use it to help you remember information. That helped me when learning Chinese characters a lot! Japanese and Chinese were hard languages to learn, and although my Japanese is much better, I can read things written for Chinese (Japan and China share and alphabet), translate it into Japanese and understand it in that way. I would like to start studying Chinese again. In long, there are many ways and YOU CAN DO IT!
The book is called "Getting Stronger" and the link for it is: http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Stronger-Weight-Training-Revised/dp/0936070242/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321391896&sr=8-1
I know you are an educated online buyer but, just so you know, on Amazon where it says "used $1.25" do not hesitate to buy that for $1.25 plus S&H. There is nothing wrong with buying used on Amazon. I do it all the time, especially CDs.
Ginger: if drinking would not ruin the liver and make us fat, gadzooks, I would be on that Irish potato wine all day! Yes, when I find those bars where one could reduce weight, I will let you know immediately!
As for the rebuilding over my chest muscle, this meant a lot to me. Most PSs stuff the implant "under" the chest muscle, which is kind of important because it does protect it, but then if you lift weights, you are, in effect, asking your chest muscles to contract. Eventually this will most likely lead to rupture of the implant unless you never work out with more than 5 or 10 lbs. Women with implants still do workout, however. I just think they are very cautious and work very light. I promise you, I am confident Brava is the new frontier for recon. I seriously think it is because it is your own body fat, one incision and no foreign bodies.
Sweeney: good to hear from you! I am so glad you are back and safe. That sounds like a very long and tiring trip. Rest up and enjoy being home! Man, I know when I read your itinerary, I could never take a travel job again! In fact, I am hopeful for telecommuting!
Went to the onc for my 3 month which was actually a 5 month and they are going to keep me on tamox because at my age, the evil CYCLE could make a return, even though I have not had it for 16 months. In fact, they said because of my age it is most likely I will stay on tamox for the full 5 years and never go onto an aromatase inhibitor. That is ok because, like Deb and I were discussing a number of posts ago, I am on tamox and am doing ok except for the hot flashes. I would hate to make changes and then have more SEs etc...
Just heated up some soup even though it is still like 65 degrees in CT today...it is weird, weird weather!
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Lizzy - So funny, I just installed Google Chrome on my work and home computers TODAY!0
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I think we all are old enough here to remember that old show "Lost in Space?" Well, remember the music? When I am posting that is what I should be playing in the background as I totally forget to tell you all really important stuff!!!!!
In any case, and lucky for you all, I remembered! You know how I said my nose was hurting, so much that I could not even touch it, blood was coming out, my lips were cracked so painfully that nothing was helping even Protopic? I also had another issue at that time of hard bumps forming on and around my thumb and index finger, on the top of my hand, on the right side but I just did not share that part. I wanted to scratch them and my skin right off my hand. Well, right after that TE that had been in my body, deflated, for some 16 months was removed, ALL of those things went away almost instantly. I was having an ALLERGIC REACTION to the TE. I could not believe that my nose, lips, hand all cleared up within like 36 hours of getting home from the hospital. I am so grateful as well because my nose hurt so much, there was one night I actually teared up from it...that is how much it hurt. All I could think, of course, is I had nose cancer or throat cancer or whatever. What else could I possibly think with those weird symptoms and within 1/4 inch of each other, physically? I will never know why that TE caused my lips, nose and hand reaction but that had to be the culprit because my nose does not hurt one bit anymore and my lips are fine. It feels so great to know those awful, awful problems were not indicative of mets but rather a reaction to that damn TE. Again, and just in case I did not say it today, I am so glad I found an excellent PS that cares enough to be innovative and who does the best she can for us poor bc victims. I am so lucky to have found her.
Omaz: I saw the Diane Sawyer interview with Gabby Giffords last night. It was very emotional. I am not discussing this with you as her shooting affected the entire nation but you being in AZ just makes me want to discuss it with you more than anyone else. I hope to God she fully recovers. That poor woman, what an awful turn of events for what seems to be a very kind hearted soul.
Well, ladies, time for the evening news! The topics tonight: CT is broke, our unemployment is probably 15%, CT Light and Power took nearly 3 weeks to restore power after our Fall snowstorm simply because it would have cost them too much in overtime and I am sure there are several shootings as Hartford, New Haven and Bridgeport which collectively are starting to make the likes of Baghdad and Libya look safe! Oh, and then there was a bank hold-up done at the drive through of a B of A today!!!!!!! I cannot believe they had actually held up the bank through the drive-through!
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Lizzy - for several of the folks I work with the Safeway where the shooting occurred is their home Safeway. That was just horrible. I didn't see the interview, I'll have to see if it is still online somewhere. I am so glad that removing the TE took care of your symptoms! Have you thought about filing an incident report? I think it would qualify. Glad you are feeling better!0
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Omaz: the interview was on last night. She is such a doll. It is probably available at ABC for online viewing.
Filing an incident report? Do you mean like here, at bc.org, so other women are aware? Where would I file this? Let me know more...I don't know where or how to file an "incident report" but if it will help others, I am all for it!
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I think you would file with the Food and Drug Administration. Just like if you had an adverse reaction to a drug. I am so glad that cleared up for you!
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Yes, as Ginger said at the FDA.0
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I like Sweeney's idea of a Boob Club meeting once a month - Could we do that? Pick a day and all get together here at the same time?0
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Good day, warriors!
Yes, yes, yes! Sweeney's idea on a "Boob Club" is a great one! I love it! I don't know how I missed that...of course, as per usual, the "Lost in Space" theme plays on!
Ginger: thank you so much for explaining the "incident" report. I will look into that today. Of course, TEs were never meant to be in the body for over a year but, having said that, circumstances change and I think they do need to know about those awful and terribly uncomfortable SEs from prolonged presence.Omaz: when I was on Wall St I wanted to start "Stocks for the People" in downtown Bridgeport, CT! If you know anything about CT, you know Bridgeport is a crime-ridden, rather dangerous city. It was my feeling, however, that if those that did not have much knew how to do a little bit more with the few dollars they did have, it would benefit them greatly. If I spoke to 10,000 and 10 heard me, I would be happy. Of course, as I was the only woman on the trading floor, the guys would say "you are a freakin' loser, Liz, and you are going to get your dumb ass sprayed with bullets in freakin' Bridgeport!" Of course, they were joking and I was also. I tell you this, though, because I have that same passion about working out and "teaching" people what to do without having them go see these trainers that the "average" person does not need. My overzealous nature about delivering investment and weight-training info to the average so they can help themselves is important and, I must say, I do get a bit carried away!!!! Please, by all means, STOP ME if I am going into info-overload on the pages in the book and on lifting advice! I really don't want to scare you! To me, a broker is to investing as a personal trainer is to exercising; you will know when you get to the point where you need professional advice. My heart is in the right place but I might be a little too excited about these topics for your level of concern for lifting! I know you don't aim to be a power lifter in the Olympics!!!
SPEAKING OF WORKING OUT, you all have to check out Kangoo Jumps! OMG, merry Christmas to me because I am getting those jokers! They are fantastic! My friend in the city has had them for a few months and he is just nuts! I could not imagine but they are absolutely amazing. Surely they are another fitness craze but if we have crazes every 18 months, and we latch on, it is actually kind of cool if you think about it because in our innovative world, we have a new workout to look forward to every 1 ½ to 2 years! I like it!
It is threatening rain here today so I am going to finish a little kitchen project I started weeks ago. I will post more later.Happy trails, girls and may the force be with you! OMG..speaking of Star Wars, Herman Cain referred to Nancy Pelosi as Princess Pelosi recently and Jimmy Kimmel (I think...can't remember which comedian!) ran with that and said Herman was only referring to her new hairdo and they showed a clip of her with Princess Leia hair superimposed! It was hysterical!
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Lizzy - Advise away, I love your enthusiasm and appreciate your help!!
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Hi all waaayy behind here. went to myrtle beach Sc last wieek with little pink house of hope . It was soo nice http://littlepinkhousesofhope.blogspot.com/2011/11/eat-dessert-first.html. That's Aidan hugging another boy on the first night. Hard to get back to real life. My echo was normal and the cardiologist said my breathing issues are pulmonary. I was on a double dose of Advair (inhaler) while we were away and barely noticed my breathing. I was to do a 2 week trial, but once I stopped I felt short of breath again so I'll continue until January.
lady so sorry you have to deal with this crap now. Hope the counseling goes well, although I think dh just needs a good kick in the pants
lizzy what is this excercise book you are referring to with Omaz? glad you are happy with the reconstruction.
Off to meet with Aidan's PT for a home excercise program for him, b/c they want to drop his PT and I'm not busy enough;-)
Carolyn
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It looks like my DH is going to India for (at least) several weeks in February. I sort of would like to go but I know the hours my husband works and I would be on my own. I have gone to Haiti alone 7 times but had a place to go to and people I knew to work with. Being a tourist alone doesn't sound like such a bad idea to me but I think I am too afraid of food poisoning and parasites just now. I have been in a Haitian Hospital for 7 or 8 days and wouldn't like to repeat that in India. So I called my husband and encouraged him to go, maybe he'll have some time on the weekends to sight see a bit.
When I went to England with DH in 2004 he had exactly one day to sight see out of two weeks and worked till 10:00 or midnight everynight. When clients get him to their site they want all the knowledge he has poured out onto them! I don't know how he continues to be able to do this. I would be so exhausted.
Sorry babbling on.....
Omaz, Sweeny and Lizzy especially, yes I am going to step back from the organization I am involved in. I am going to ask the board to allow me to be less active, to attensd fewer meetings , perhaps one a quarter and to be in an advisory role until or if I am feeling healthy again. I realize a large part of the problem is me, I put a great deal of pressure on myself to properly carry out our statement of incorporation which calls for educating the public about water needs and solutions in the third world and also to fund raise. New people have come onto the board and except for funding needs, this is probably an ideal time to step back.
I am gpoing to a big quilt show this Friday with DD and DGD. I think it will be fun. I am so scattered that I will hardly look at the quilts but at all the gadgets for sale! Like a state fair, I love all those gadgets and hawkers selling stuff I surely don't need!
We wnet to a Value Village and a childrens resale shop yesterday. I got an unused art book on techniques of the impressionists for $2.30 and a new beautiful baby sleeper for $6.00. I think I will be going back to those stores! In Chicago I used Value Village for costume pieces and parts and it was difficult to get through the stores. Here the aisles were wide, the lighting was good and EVERYTHING was ORGANIZED! I was amazed.
Laters
Ginger
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Ckptry: This is the book link: http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Stronger-Weight-Training-Revised/dp/0936070242/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=shoes&ie=UTF8&qid=1321470323&sr=1-1-catcorr
Like I tell everyone, buy it used. There is one for $1.25 plus S&H on Amazon. Don't be afraid to buy that one. Nowadays there is so much online and so many apps but that book, for me, has always been the bible on learning new lifting techniques, organizing my workouts and learning about the body beautiful! It is a great resource. There is also a "daily ab" app that is free and I just put it on my Sony Playstation phone (the funnest phone ever!).
Glad you went to the little pink houses of hope. Good for you. That is great. Yeah, just what you need is another thing to do, fighting for services for your kids, because you are, after all, not busy enough at all!
BTW, thanks so very, very much for encouraging me to seek a new PS. I know your years at MSK and what I was going through made you perfectly aware that it was time for me to seek higher ground!
Good day-
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Ginger: yes, now is probably a good time to step back. Once a quarter is plenty. Don't forget what Stephen Jobs said is in reknowned Stamford U address in that the old must move on so the new can get started. In so many words he said that. I think you did your part and now you can sit back in more like a consultative role and let the new and all their overzealousness take over! Enjoy your DD and DGD and have fun. Check out those gadgets and enjoy the time you are spending with them!
As for India, it would be great and you don't strike me as the type to not embrace being a tourist while your DH works but, I very much like you, am concerned about leaving this country and getting sick. After this bc battle, I don't think I am ready for any international travel for a while. I mean Dublin, London, Rome, Paris-yes but I would not go to far beyond that. To each their own. Perhaps in a few years you could travel with him a bit more.
Do you all know how there is that sickness where people get up in the middle of the night and eat while sleeping and have no clue what they have done? Well I think I am getting up and cage fighting in my sleep! I feel like I have been hit by a truck! Someday maybe I won't feel like this anymore but boy oh boy, these surgeries are wiping me out!
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Well yipee for Tamox. US showed endometrial (?) thickening and small amount of fluid. So I'm forgetting about it until after Ireland and NOLA surgery and will have the fun of a biopsy when I get home. Boo.
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Adey: OH NO-did you have any signs it was happening? That sucks. I don't think the thickening is indicative of cancer as it is just a byproduct of tamox. I am so sorry to hear. I am sure it will be fine. Perhaps tamox feels it is necessary to thicken up our endometrial lining! It might be on to something!0
